Learn all about the GPU Performance feature, updated for Illustrator CC 2015.

What is the GPU Performance feature?

The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), found on video cards and as part of display systems, is a specialized processor that can rapidly execute commands for manipulating and displaying images. GPU-accelerated computing offers faster performance across a broad range of design, animation, and video applications.

This means you get a big performance boost: Illustrator runs faster and more smoothly than ever before.

GPU Performance was introduced in the 2014 release of Illustrator CC for computers running Windows with select, compatible, NVIDIA graphics processors. For the 2015 release of Illustrator CC, GPU Performance is available for both Mac OS and Windows, and it works with various GPUs.

Troubleshooting tips

Having difficulty enabling the GPU Performance feature, or is Illustrator behaving unexpectedly after you enable the feature? Ensure that your computer meets the system requirements for using GPU Performance (for instance, if your computer uses an AMD GPU card, you must have Windows 8 or later to use GPU features in Illustrator CC 2015).